The arrest of Damian Green, MP and shadow Immigration Minister is a shocking event.
He hasn't abused his office for personal gain; he has caught out the government and embarrassed it.
He hasn't abused his office for personal gain; he has caught out the government and embarrassed it.
If reports are correct the arresting officer was accompanied by nine anti-terrorist officers, he was detained for nine hours and questioned for one and his home and Parliamentary office were searched.
Not only that, but the charge was ‘conspiracy’. I seem to remember that tacking on the word conspiracy to a crime turns it from what might be a simple misdemeanour to a felony.
What on earth have the ant-terrorist laws got to do with this, I wonder. But then if they can be used to muzzle hecklers at the Labour Party Conference or spy on people who put their wheelie-bins out too early, why the surprise?
The newspapers and blogs have been peppered with words like Stalinism, Stasi, and police state. Frankly they’re not far wrong. It’s impossible to overreact on a matter like this. Not just the personal freedom of us all is at stake but the very sovereignty of Parliament.
How on earth were the police allowed by the Sergeant-at-Arms to march into Westminster and turn over an MP’s office? Why did the Speaker, who was informed in advance, not warn the police that they would be committing a breach of privilege and threaten them with a charge of contempt of Parliament.
Was it not Sir Thomas Fairfax who said to Cromwell, when the latter had marched his soldiers into the House of Commons, ‘I seem to remember that we cut off a king’s head for such as this?’
Not only that, but the charge was ‘conspiracy’. I seem to remember that tacking on the word conspiracy to a crime turns it from what might be a simple misdemeanour to a felony.
What on earth have the ant-terrorist laws got to do with this, I wonder. But then if they can be used to muzzle hecklers at the Labour Party Conference or spy on people who put their wheelie-bins out too early, why the surprise?
The newspapers and blogs have been peppered with words like Stalinism, Stasi, and police state. Frankly they’re not far wrong. It’s impossible to overreact on a matter like this. Not just the personal freedom of us all is at stake but the very sovereignty of Parliament.
How on earth were the police allowed by the Sergeant-at-Arms to march into Westminster and turn over an MP’s office? Why did the Speaker, who was informed in advance, not warn the police that they would be committing a breach of privilege and threaten them with a charge of contempt of Parliament.
Was it not Sir Thomas Fairfax who said to Cromwell, when the latter had marched his soldiers into the House of Commons, ‘I seem to remember that we cut off a king’s head for such as this?’
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